Grown Up
by mandaree1
Summary: 'The warriors aren't kids anymore. A drabble oneshot for each warrior, specifically towards just how grown up they've had to become.' Warning: probably O.O.C! No Flames!
1. Odd

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko!**

**Warnings: Slightly O.C.**

**Every chapter is about one of the warriors. This one's Odd's chapter.**

**...**

Odd wouldn't sleep.

It wasn't a matter of that he couldn't or that he didn't want to, it was that he wouldn't.

He knew he wasn't going to sleep that night, long before bedtime rolled around. There was to much he could be doing for him to sleep peacefully.

He rolled onto his side. Ulrich was on his back, Kiwi curled up on his stomach. Ulrich didn't sleep on his back. He never had.

"Ulrich, you up?" He whispers, not wanting to alert outsiders.

"Yeah." He opened his eyes, reaching up to pet his bedmate.

"I can't sleep." He complains, sitting up "It just doesn't feel right."

"I know."

It never had felt right. They should be at the factory with Jeremie and Aelita. But they'd sent them home, reminding them that they hadn't slept and days and needed the rest.

Not they had either.

"I want to help them out... Or be there, or _something_."

"Theirs not much we _can_ do." Ulrich grunts, scratching Kiwi behind the ears. "All we can do is wait."

"Yeah, but maybe we could-" It suddenly strikes him that Ulrich- ever the pessimist- had a point. When the world wasn't in danger and Jeremie didn't need help with an experiment, what use where they? "Keep them awake?"

Ulrich shoo'd the little dog off his stomach and rolled over. "Go to sleep. Jeremie'll have a bunch of tests and stuff for us to help him with tomorrow. _Then_ we can help."

Odd sighed and rolled over, back facing Ulrich. Another good point. two-Ulrich, zero-Odd.

Dang it, what was wrong with him? Sleep was one of his two favorite nonliving things! Yet here he was, trying to worm his way out of the first good nights rest he'd had in _days_.

It had to be because of X.A.N.A. Before he'd been activated and stuck them in a world of crazy monsters and towers and sector, you couldn't pull him out of bed before noon. Now he got up early every day, jut to check on the computer with everyone. Now he went _days _without food _or_ sleep (his two favorite nonliving things!) to sit on a cold steel floor and watch a guy type into a computer or throw himself into danger just to test something out.

Wasn't this stuff for grown-ups? Staying up late, missing meals, sacrificing your life and happiness for the greater good? Kids weren't supposed to do that. Kids were supposed to sleep in, eats tons of food, and be as selfish as they wanted!

Maybe... they weren't kids anymore. They certainly didn't live like kids anymore.

He glanced at the clock. 2:00 A.M. If he was going to sleep, he would have done it by now.

Sitting up again, he looked over to his roommate. Ulrich was flat on his back, eyes clenched tight. Seems he wasn't the only one unable to sleep.

Slipping out of bed, he shut the alarm off. "Hey, Jeremie and Aelita might have some stuff for us to test, or something. Wanna go check?"

His answer was the brunette throwing the blankets off and starting the search for his jacket and pants.

No, they definitely weren't kids anymore.

**Ta-da! Review!**


	2. Yumi

**Chapter 2! Yumi's up!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko**

**Summary: 'A oneshot for each warrior, about the pain they feel and how its effected them'**

**Warning: O.O.C, even if I try my hardest for it not to be.**

**...**

**...**

Sometimes, she wonders when the lies became so natural they felt like the truth.

"Yumi, dear, are you listening?" She glanced up. Akiko stared at her expectantly. How long had she been talking? She hadn't heard a thing.

"Sorry, just thinking." That wasn't a lie. She was happy it wasn't a lie. She did enough lying as it is, she didn't want to lie about the little things too.

"I asked you what you wanted for Christmas." Akiko tutted, taking a drink from her water glass.

"Christmas?" Was it that close to the end of the year? It felt like summer was just yesterday...

"Yes, Christmas."

Looking outside, she noticed the snow covering the bushes and falling from above. When had the snow gotten so high? She'd been so busy she'd hardly noticed it'd fallen.

She really was starting to miss the little things.

"I already made a list of stuff I want." Hiroki slurped down his food "I'll go get it." And off he went, the little bolt of energy Yumi never got to spend enough time with.

What _did_ she want for Christmas? She'd never really thought about it. Their was _so_ much they had to do before break. Had the others even realized? They'd never mentioned anything...

Clothes? She had plenty of clothes. A new TV? Hers was pretty old, but she hadn't watched much TV at home anyway. School supplies? She had plenty of those... So what did she want?

Bandages, she decided. She needed bandages. And lots of them. They were starting to run low, and stealing them from the nurses office would attract attention. They needed a bunch of other medical supplies, now that she thought about it. And some food, for those weekends they were to busy to get some from the cafeteria. They could stand for some blankets and pillows to, for the days they stayed overnight.

But she couldn't ask for that stuff, right? What teenager asked there parents for food and medical supplies?

She may not be a kid anymore, but her parents didn't need to know that.

"Money." She told them, standing up from the breakfast table and grabbing her backpack from he corner. "I could use some cash."

"For what?"

"Nothing." She headed towards the door, feeling a little suffocated. The tense air and distrust was staring to overwhelm her. She needed freedom, and she couldn't get that here.

"Where are you going? You don't have school today!" Takeho called after her.

"Nowhere." It'd started already? Well, that didn't mean she couldn't stop by. They'd all be at the factory, they always were.

Just as the door shut behind her, Hiroki bounded down the steps "Found it! Hey... where'd Yumi go?"

"I don't know, Hiroki." Akiko sighed "I just don't know."

**Review please!**


	3. Jeremie

**Jeremie's Turn!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko**

**Summary: 'A oneshot for each warrior about the pain they feel and how its effected them'**

**Warning: O.O.C**

**...**

Whenever looking into a mirror, he stared at the young man staring back, and wondered how the others could so easily put their lives into his hands every day.

But now there wasn't any mirrors. Only his reflection on the brightly lit computer screen and he typed in data.

Taking his glasses off, he rubbed his eye. He hadn't had a good nights sleep in two (almost three, now that he thought about it) but it was worth the exhaustion if the program worked properly.

Well, that was a lie. The lack of sleep stemmed much farther back then a few nights spent typing while the others kept guard. It'd been a year, almost two.

They called him an insomniac. He called himself a coward. He couldn't handle it. The _pain_, the _panic_, the _fear_... he couldn't handle it, so he avoided. it. It was silly, in a way. He couldn't face the big bad nightmares.

Peace was pushing themselves to the point they became physically incapable of function and fell into unconsciousness. They suffocating quiet and disappointment of waking up feeling unrested but able to function was far better then the stress of going to sleep the natural way.

Like now. It was hard to believe that the piles of bodies hunched around each other in the far corner were even _breathing_, but the light rise and fall of chests reassured him they were. There was no twitching or snoring, just a bunch of kids (what was left of them anyway) lying around.

He'd join the pile soon enough. First he wanted to push his brink just a_ little_ farther, to ensure that sleep was dreamless and painless.

Maybe that was a really bad excuse, but it was still an excuse. He doubted he was mentally capable of dreaming at this point.

Pushing his glasses back up his nose, he attempted to make sense of his work. Either was so tired he'd messed up on the code, or he was so tired he couldn't read it correctly. It really could be either one at this point.

He was moving. How was he moving? He was to zapped to work his legs properly...

Ah, it was Ulrich. The lightest sleeper and his personal mother hen. He must had moved the chair.

"Jeremie, I need you to walk a bit. Can you do it?"

Walk? He wanted him to walk!? His legs weren't working! How was he supposed to walk!? Somehow, he managed to walk, or perhaps Ulrich carried him, because he found himself moving across the room.

A wall pressed itself into his back. Or maybe it was a floor? Wow, he'd gotten there a lot faster than he thought he could.

"Ulrich, your in my way. _Move_." That was Yumi... Wasn't Yumi sleeping? Then again, Ulrich had been sleeping too...

"Sorry."

"No big." Shuffling, the a blurry hand was being placed to his forehead. Wait, where'd his glasses go? He was sure he'd hand them on a second ago...

"He doesn't have a fever. He just pushed himself to far. Odd, go get some from the cafeteria. We'll feed him then divide what's left."

"Right."

"Ulrich, you go get some pillows and blankets. As many as you can carry."

Passing by Aelita, Odd nudged her awake. "Jeremie clocked out."

"Okay, got it. I'll work on the finishing touches."

"Maybe he should try coffee or something." Ulrich suggested, starting up the ladder.

"I thought that stuff was only for adults?" Aelita's brow furrowed.

"So? If it helps, it helps."


	4. Ulrich

**Ulrich's turn!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko**

**Summary: 'A oneshot for each warrior about the pain they feel and how its effected them'**

**Warning: O.O.C**

**...**

**...**

_The grip on his throat border lined painful, the sword above him poised to strike._

_He blindly fumbled around his belt. Where were his katanas? Had he dropped them? He vaguely remembered a pack of Krabs. Had he lost them then?_

_X.A.N.A-ified eyes shine with glee. One warrior down, four to go._

_The sword plunged itself deep into his right shoulder, dragging a slow, painful, pathway across to his left waist._

_He would not scream. He would not cry. He wasn't going to beg. He was going to fight, fight until he dropped dead. This __beast__ wasn't going to hear a word out of him._

_So he kicked. Found his footing in the slippery terrain and slammed his feet forward into its stomach. It pushed him a few feet back, years of penjack silat having strengthened his legs._

_Falling forward onto his knees, he struggled to stand up, a hand pressed against the wound. He wasn't dying on some stupid patch of land, he was dying with his teeth bared and his fists flying. Katanas or no katanas, he wasn't going down without a fight._

_It smirked, swinging the bloodstained sword upwards. No control, he had no control. Aim for the weapon, its to heavy to carry properly..._

_It was close, closer, almost to him, why couldn't he move? The bloody sword glinted savagely as it came down into him, ripping him open and-_

The hiss of the shower being turned on made Ulrich jump. When had he left his bedroom? He always took a shower to calm him down after a rough night, but he couldn't even remember waking up. He must have been in another one of those dazes...

Hot water battered his body, and it was the best feeling in the world. Strained muscles melted under the intense heat as the pitter patter soothed away the headache forming at his temples. He could stand here for _hours_ and never stop feeling alright.

He leaned against the cool tile. He hadn't been exhausted enough to go to bed, and he'd known it. The lingering sense of security home provided had lulled him into a false sense of relaxation. It wouldn't happen again.

He thought back to his dream. The anger, the hate, the blood. Could he kill? He didn't want to, none of them did, but if it was absolutely necessary...

Could he do it? Take a life? He'd seen plenty of blood the past two years (mostly his own) but he be the one to draw it from someone? Blowing up monsters was one thing, but a living, breathing, being? Could he do something like that?

Maybe... he could. If he really had too. If it were to protect the others, he'd do it in a heartbeat. And the fact he could do so sent shivers down his spine.

"Ulrich!" Dad was yelling, pounding on the door. How early was it? To early, from the sounds of it.

He jerked, quickly grabbing himself with a hand on the slippery wall. The water was cold, his skin numb and his body racked with shivers. How long had he been standing there, thinking?

"Sorry!" He called, turning the faucet off and grabbing the towel from its hanger nearby.

He banged on the door once again. "What are you doing up this early!? Get out here! Now!"

Hurriedly drying his hair, he called back "Give me a minute!"

"_Ulrich_!"

Sighing, he wrapped a towel around his waist and cracked open the door. "What?"

"I asked you what your doing up this la-" He glanced down, mouth open wide as he stared. Following his gaze, he realized his folly. A small portion of his chest was visible from the doorway, the smooth white marred here and there with fading scars. "Er, I mean, well..."

Ulrich shifted under the stare, to tired to be self-conscious but beginning to remember how to be. "I'll be out in a minute." he repeated, before slamming the door shut.

He let his forehead rest on the door. Nice one Stern, he berated himself, you failing at school _and_ at family. So much for letting this be a 'carefree vacation' from Lyoko...

**Review! No Flames!**


	5. Aelita

**Aelita's turn!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko**

**Summary: 'A oneshot for each warrior about the pain they feel and how its effected them.'**

**Warning: O.O.C**

**...**

Sometimes, winning hurt just as much as losing.

Wrapping a wound on Jeremie's shoulder, she wondered if anyone knew that better than they did.

Odd was unconscious, Ulrich hovering near his stiff form, impatiently awaiting his awakening. Yumi hadn't spoken since emerging from the scanner, instead silently taking residence next to her as she tied the wrapping.

Its all her fault. She was the one who brought them here every battle, the reason they came back. They could have had normal lives, been happy kids instead of hurt adults, but she had to try talking to the strange boy who'd turned the supercomputer on...

They used to be her knights in shining armor. But now the armor was dull, chipped and streaked from wars won and battles lost, pain and fear and hurt. She'd turned these happy children into warriors, and now she had to face the consequences.

A warm hand on her shoulder. She turned. Yumi smiled, the words unspoken as they passed between them. _We don't blame you. its not your fault._

And that was what hurt. They _should_ blame her. They should blame her and hate her and want to leave her behind in the dust. They should hate the very air she breathed. But they didn't. They cared for her instead.

"Ugh..." Odd sat up, resting his hand in his hand "What hit me?"

Ulrich smiled. "A lot of things." They relief was unspoken, otherwise it'd be embarrassing.

"Thanks a lot." He ruffled his hair, eyeing the boy next to him. "Ulrich, your bleeding."

"I am?" He glanced himself over. The side of his jacket was plastered to his side, the green stained dark black. "I am." he affirmed.

He slipped the jacket off, ("it was my favorite one too." He grumbled, eyeing the stain "I'll have to buy a new one or something.") pulling his shirt over his head. Looking the wound over, he noted the blood was dry, the cut already starting the slow scabbing process. "Oh, its fine."

"No its not!" Aelita easily bounded over the small distance between them, anti-septic and bandages in hand "Let me see."

He grumbled again, but did as asked and unclasped his hand from his side. "Just the anti-septic."

"But-"

"Bandages are harder to replace._ Just_ the anti-septic."

She did this. Made them this way.

He hissed as it touched the wound, body stiffening and teeth clenching. She hopes he doesn't go into a daze, _prays_ he doesn't go into a daze, but he does anyway. They all did, but Ulrich slipped away the most. Aelita had the sneaking suspicion it was because he _didn't_ talk about it, no matter what. He almost looked peaceful, but they all knew better.

By the time he climbs the long slope back to them, she's already finished with the anti-septic and taken advantage of his state to wrap the wound.

He frowned, but didn't mess with the bandage. "I said not to wrap it."

"I wanted to."

He sighed "Alright princess, whatever you say." And it ends with that, because Ulrich was to kind to do more than grimace whenever she managed to pull something like wrapping a dried wound, because he knows its for its own good, and what can he say against it?

Its all her fault, and now it was her job to take care of them. Until the war ended and they could be at peace, she would make it better the best she could.

**Review! It might take a little while before I post the next (and final) chapter. I'm not sure what to write quite yet.**


	6. William

**Last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko**

**Summary: 'The warriors aren't kids anymore. A drabble oneshot for each warrior, specifically towards just how grown up they've had to become.'**

**Warnings: O.O.C, scars, etc.**

**...**

He couldn't remember, and that scared him.

He wasn't abused, he knew that. He hadn't been in any fights, he was sure of that. And he wasn't a self-harmer, he _hoped_ he was right about that.

He went to sleep, and woke up months later. It was the only plausible explanation. The darkness, the fear, and the exhaustion. He'd had a few months long nightmare. It made sense, but it didn't.

He could barely look in the mirror. The scars, deep and probably painful, scared him. Where did he get them? How did he get them? Questions swirled endlessly in his mind with no real answer.

He traced one on his waist from bottom to top, a small thing really, but still strange. Did he fall? His fingers ghosted over the tip, and he jolted. He remembered this! He'd been... stabbed? Wait, how did that happen? Was he mugged? He struggled to remember.

A mop of brown hair. Stern? Had he done this? Sure, they didn't get along, but Stern wouldn't go as far as to _stab_ him because of it. It wasn't in his nature. Maybe Stern had some evil twin brother?

He traced another, longer, cut on his upper arm, excitement welling up. Maybe if he did it again, he would remember more. Another jolt. Japanese... fans? How could a fan do something like this!? This wasn't just some old _paper cut_, this had been at least a knife sized _wound_! Why couldn't he remember more!? He remembered the hair color before, but all he could see now was some stupid fans.

Wait... _Japanese_ fans... No! No, Yumi wouldn't hurt them either.

Hurriedly, he traced the deep, twisted, patch of skin near his shoulder. An arrow, he decided, it was some sort of arrow. Not the kind you shot from a bow... different. But what kind of arrow did damage like this? And it wasn't like they had an archery range around here, right?

He recalled paws. _Purple_ paws. What kind of animal was purple? A fake one, he realized with a jolt. And he only knew one person who liked purple enough to wear it even when pretending to be something else. But he and Odd were buds, right?

A large, twisted, burnt hole sat in his chest. No weapon _alive_ could do something like this and _not_ kill him. And what kind of weapon was pink?

It was a ball. Round, and filled with pink... something. And it'd hurt. A lot. He hissed, flashes of pain and yelling filling his ears to the point they _ached_.

He clapped his hands over said appendages, sliding onto the floor. An eye, a weird looking eye. What_ was_ it? Why was it bothering him so much? Was he... afraid of it?

Maybe that's why they were avoiding him, because they did this too him. They'd hurt him, scarred him, and somehow managed to erase his memory.

But that made no sense, right?

**Review! No flames!**


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